Cornbreadalicious

The other night we had a good friend from Fort Lewis in town - what a wonderful excuse for a little Fort Lewis reunion and some Pumpkin Chili and Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread?? I am absolutely addicted to this corn bread (and the pumpkin chili for that matter). It is super easy and so tasty. Stop buying store-bought cornbread mixes and get yourself some cornmeal!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Makes 12 Large Pieces - from Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups milk

3 extra large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan

8 ounces aged extra-sharp cheddar grated, divided

1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish (3 scallions)

3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers (2 to 3 peppers - I used one large)

So I went to pour the milk in and it turns out our milk had gone bad - and the "sell by" date was still a week off! My little Helper Monkey ran down to the corner store and got us some milk - thank you Helper Monkey!

Be careful when you cut and seed the jalapeno peppers - i.e. don't touch your eyes! Which is what I did, and do every single time I chop up a jalapeno. So ridiculous. But totally worth it!

Have you tried this chili yet? It is an absolute staple in our house. I am so excited to have left-overs for lunch tomorrow!

Instructions

1) Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't over mix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions (except for the garnish!!), and jalapeno, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperate for 20 minutes. (I added all the cheese, and then read the rest of the instructions. I've been doing that alot lately. REMEMBER to read the whole recipe before you get started! We didn't have any left over cheddar for the top - which was fine, but its always nice to have a cheesy top, right?)

2) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 - inch baking pan.

3) Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bon Appetit!